46th WNCAA season comes off the wraps

CENTRO Escolar University opens its bid for a fifth straight basketball crown while host Philippine Women’s University hopes to finish strong this time as the 46th Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) unfurls today in separate venues.

Ada Milby of the Philippine Lady Volcanoes, the women’s rugby team which took the gold in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore last June, will keynote the kickoff ceremony at 10 a.m. at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Defending junior champion La Salle College Antipolo and De La Salle Zobel then open basketball hostilities at 11:30 a.m., followed by the clash between St. Paul College Pasig and Poveda in the midgets division at 1 p.m.

CEU opens its bid at 2:30 p.m.against PWU.

“We prepared hard and we expect to retain our title,” said WNCAA vice president Juanita Alamillo of CEU.

The CEU Lady Scorpions also took the overall seniors title last season after similar title romps in futsal and cheerleading.

Volleyball action opens at St. Scholastica’s College gym with four seniors matches.

Defending seniors champion Rizal Technological University takes on PWU at 12 noon, San Beda Alabang battles CEU at 1:30 p.m., Assumption tackles Miriam at 3 p.m. and University of Asia and the Pacific meets St. Scholastica at 4:30 p.m.

The futsal tournament will start on Sunday at UA&P gym with six matches.

Former national football player and PWU athletics director Marielle Benitez said she wants the Patriots to fare better this year.

“We’re the hosts, so I’m really pushing our teams to exceed expectations,” said Benitez.